3. Acalypha Gràcilens A. Gray. Slender Three-Seeded Mercury

Fig. 2723

Acalypha gracilens A. Gray, Man. 408. 1848.

Acalypha virginica var. gracilens Muell. Arg. Linnaea 34: 45. 1865.

Pale green, pubescent, often densely glandular. Stem slender, erect, 4'-2 1/2o tall, usually branched, the branches often nearly filiform, spreading or divergent; leaves lanceolate or linear-oblong, $"-2' long, usually firm, acut-ish, serrate, narrowed to a short petiole; staminate and pistillate flowers in the same axillary clusters; staminate spike very slender, usually exceeding the many-cleft bract; pistillate flowers 1 or several; capsule subglobose, about 1 1/2" in diameter; seeds globose-ovoid, dark red, or gray mottled with red, striate-pitted.

In dry woods and thickets, New Hampshire to Kansas, Florida and Texas. Occurs 2000 ft. in South Carolina. June-Sept.

7. TRÀGIA [Plumier] L. Sp. Pl. 980. 1753.

Monoecious herbs, or shrubs, sometimes climbing, usually armed with stiff stinging hairs. Leaves alternate, toothed or somewhat lobed, mostly cordate, petioled; flowers in racemes, or spicate racemes, bracteolate, apetalous; staminate flowers with a 3-5-parted calyx and 1-3 or rarely numerous stamens; pistillate flowers with a 3-8-lobed calyx, the segments entire or pinnatifid, a 3-celled ovary with 1 ovule in each cavity, and 3 styles, often united to above the middle; capsule 3-lobed, separating into 3 2-valved carpels; seeds subglobose; endosperm fleshy. [From Tragus, the Latin name of Hieronymus Bock, 1498-1553, a German botanist.]

About 50 species, mostly natives of tropical regions. Besides the following, 4 others occur in the southern United States. Type species: Tragia volubilis L.

1. Tragia Ùrens L. Eastern Tragia

Fig. 2724

Tragia urens L. Sp. Pl. Ed. 2, 1391. 1763.

Tragia innocua Walt. Fl. Car. 220. 1788.

Perennial, dull green, pilose or hirsute. Stem slender, erect, 4'-15'. tall, branched; leaves obovate or ovate to linear, entire, undulate or toothed, mostly obtuse at the apex, narrowed or subcordate at base, short-petioled or sessile, 5"-2' long; flowers in terminal or lateral spike-like racemes often 4' long; stam-inate flowers with a 4-lobed calyx and 2 stamens; pistillate flowers several at the base of the racemes, with a 5-6-lobed calyx; capsule short-pedicelled, much depressed, 4-5" in diameter, sparingly pubescent; seeds sub-globose, 2" long, smooth.

In sandy soil, Virginia to Florida and Louisiana. May-Aug.